Perspectives: What Occupy Oakland demonstrators are saying

KALW News continues its reporting on the Oakland General Strike and Occupy Oakland movement by gathering the first person experiences of demonstrators. Here’s a preview of some of the sentiments we’ve been hearing:

“The attack on Tuesday, October 25, 2011, to our people in a peaceful march display what our people and our community all over California receive by the police on a daily basis…”

“They pushed us back, they shot at us. I fell down; I dislocated my shoulder. I broke the socket that my bone goes into. But you know what? I’m still here!”

“We got Mayor Quan in our back pocket right now, alright? We gotta push Mayor Quan to rethink the f***ing budget because that money should be going to schools, not the cops!”

“And I can go on and on and on, why we’re standing here today, what we’ve gotta realize is these rogue police officers and what they did to Scott Olsen, continuously happens in our community when it comes to men of color. So standing here, I want you to know, it’s only getting started. And there will be others of us that will get hurt by these rogue police officers. But as one gets hurt, we need 100 to show up. Power to the people!”

“Had a lot of friends out here last night. Some people got arrested. Some people got gassed. And I thought I probably better get off the couch and get down here.”

“Unfortunately I’m employed, or fortunately – I don’t know what to say about it. But I got a kid at home so I’m… the other part of the 99%.”

“I have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow for one of the most busy clinics – I’ll have 16 patients between 8 and 12, and I have to get up at 6:30. But I’m here right now at 11:15 because I’m just gonna be out here.”

“I work fulltime and didn’t really have the time or the extra energy to do it. But it’s kinda seeming important.”

If you are at the demonstration, or want to weigh in, add to our #OccupyBayArea sound map. That’s where you can hear these voices for yourself, which are brought to you by Judy Silber and Casey Miner.